Ferrochiral, antiferrochiral, and ferrichiral skyrmion crystals in an itinerant honeycomb magnet

Topological spin textures, such as a skyrmion crystal, are a source of unusual physical phenomena owing to the interplay between magnetism and topology. Since physical phenomena depend on the topological property and the symmetry of underlying spin structures, the search for new topological spin textures and emergent phenomena is one of the challenges in condensed matter physics. In this study, we theoretically explore topological spin textures arising from the synergy between spin, charge, and sublattice degrees of freedom in an itinerant magnet. By performing simulated annealing for an effective spin model of the honeycomb Kondo lattice model, we find a plethora of skyrmion crystal instabilities at low temperatures, whose topological spin textures are classified into three types: ferrochiral, antiferrochiral, and ferrichiral skyrmion crystals. We show that the obtained skyrmion crystals are the consequence of the spin-orbit-coupling-free honeycomb structure. Our results reveal the potential for itinerant honeycomb magnets to host a wide variety of skyrmion crystal and emergent phenomena.

Automated summary

In this study, we theoretically explore the synergy between spin, charge, and sublattice degrees of freedom in itinerant magnets and discover a variety of topological spin textures classified into three types: ferrochiral, antiferrochiral, and ferrichiral skyrmion crystals. These findings reveal the potential of itinerant honeycomb magnets to host numerous skyrmion crystals and emergent phenomena.